Ella Odyssey
New Luxury Train 'Ella Odyssey”
The Ella Odyssey Train will now travel from Colombo to Badulla on weekends which will provide another option to get to GlenMyu Estate.
The luxury train service commenced in March 2022 and only ran from Kandy to Ella.
Now operating on Weekends!
Now operating on the weekends from Fort Station in Colombo it now gives a solution to tourists to start their journey by rail from the Capital City.
The section of the journey from Kandy to Ella is considered one of most scenic and beautiful train journey in South Asia. The tracks climb through lush green tea estates, pass along by waterfalls and through tunnels which makes the journey interesting and provides opportunities to make those instagram moments.
There is a high demand for the Kandy Ella train from both local and international travellers but there were only few daily trains operated and the Ella Odyssey train will be a great addition to the Sri Lanka tourism.
This train journey is considered as one of the most scenic train journeys in the world
It is also one of the top tourist attractions in Sri Lanka.
Photo Opportunities!
During its journey to and from Badulla, the train will stop at several selected tourist attractions allowing passengers to alight to take photos and videos at these stops.
What Time does the train leave?
The ‘Ella Odyssey’ will leave Colombo Fort at 05.30 am every Saturday and is scheduled to reach Badulla at 3.55 pm.
Every Sunday the train will leave Badulla at 09.50 am and reach Colombo at 07.20 pm.
News Flash - Now running on Thursdays and Friday!
Railways Deputy Operations superintendent V.S. Polwattage announced that the additional train journeys will commence on Thursday, 8th of September 2022.
He said that the “Ella Odyssey” will travel from Colombo to Badulla every Thursday and will return from Badulla to Colombo every Friday.
What is the Train Number?
Train Numbers are
Fort to Badulla – 1041
Badulla to Fort – 1042
How long is the journey?
The total train journey from start to finish is just over 10 hours.
This may be hard to grasp as a tourist however driving from Colombo to Badulla would take at least 6 hours and would cost substantially more.
You also would not experience the spectacular views that you will be able to see by train.
Where does the train stop?
The train will stop at:
Gampaha
Veyangoda
Polgahawela
Rambukkana
Peradeniya
Mahanuwara
Nawalapitiya
Nanu Oya
Haputale
Diyatalawa
Bandarawela
Ella
Badulla
What will my ticket cost?
At the launch of this service in August 2022 a first class reserved ticket between Colombo Fort and Badulla of this special train is Rs.5,000.
A second class reserved ticket is Rs.4,000 and a third class reserved ticket is Rs.3,000.
These prices are subject to change and we would recommend that you check the price when purchasing them.
Where can I get my tickets?
You can get to the Sri Lanka Railway by clicking here Sri Lanka Railways Official Site
Can I buy food on board?
Can I buy food on board?
The train is with restaurant car and you may able to purchase some selected foods on board.
What class of tickets are available?
There are only 1st and 2nd class seats available on the Ella Odyssey Train.
How many seats are on the train?
There are around 176 air-con first class seats plus over 144 second class seats.
What will I see on the way?
During the journey the train will stop at interesting sightseeing spots including
St. Clair Falls
Great Western Railway Station
Elgin Falls –
Pattipola Summit Level
Idalgashinna Railway Station
Demodara 9-Arch Bridge, and Demodara Bridge & tunnel.
Can I get off the train to take my photos?
The train will only stop at these stations for a few minutes for tourists to enjoy the scenery and capture photos and videos.
Alight at Haputale Train Station for GlenMyu Estate.
The nearest station to GlenMyu Estate is Haputale.